


Oni'qui's Stories

by umbralillium



Series: My SWTOR fic [3]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Dom/sub, F/M, Humiliation, M/M, Open Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-03-20 15:45:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3655911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/umbralillium/pseuds/umbralillium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of stories involving my male Sith warrior, Oni'qui, brother of Tri'voy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malavai is punished for his betrayal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoilery for the Sith Warrior storyline post-Voss.

Malavai glanced up from the utterly _mind-numbing_ computer diagnostic Lord Oni’qui had ordered him to run at the sound of a door swishing open down the corridor. His brows lowered in a frown as Lieutenant Pierce sauntered out of Lord Oni’qui’s quarters with a self-satisfied smile on his face. When Pierce spotted Malavai, the smile rapidly morphed into a hard smirk. He turned to where Lord Oni’qui stood in the doorway, wearing only trousers, and kissed him deeply. Arousal simmered in Malavai blood at the sight of the two powerful men, but his dislike of Pierce tempered it.

When the two parted, Lord Oni’qui said something quietly to Pierce who bowed shortly, turned, smirked at Malavai again, and sauntered back to his quarters. Lord Oni’qui turned to Malavai and lifted the eyebrow over his remaining eye, a hint of a challenge in his gaze. Malavai stiffened and set his datapad on the workstation with a sharp click before striding over to Lord Oni’qui. “Might I have a word, my lord? In private.”

Lord Oni’qui made a show of looking around the common area of the ship, subtly pointing out that, among the crew, only Pierce was on board with them. “I’ll tell you what I just told Pierce, Quinn. Remember your place.”

A growl escaped Malavai’s control. “Very well. I know you’re aware of our dislike of each other. If you’re going to punish me, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t use _him_ to do so. I can abide Pierce standing in my place in the cockpit. I can bear Jaesa hanging on you all over the ship; I can just about stomach you practically ordering Vette into your quarters, but _him?_ I’m well aware of your… tastes, my lord, and I _know_ Pierce does not fulfill them.”

Lord Oni’qui’s eyes burned with cold fire and Malavai’s stomach turned over. “Do not presume to tell me who is to my taste, Quinn. It was no hardship to allow Pierce into my bed.”

“Even so, my lord. Punish me however you like _without_ bringing Pierce into it,” Malavai requested.

“What makes you think it was to punish you?” Lord Oni’qui inquired, some of his ire sinking away into amusement. “Perhaps I felt like taking on a challenge for once?”

Malavai stiffened. “If I do not please you, my lord, simply tell me so and I’ll do what I can to rectify my shortcomings.”

Laughter rumbled from Lord Oni’qui’s chest. “You have not pleased me since before Corellia, Quinn. Will you rectify that?”

“If you would allow?” Malavai asked, tilting his head back just a tad more than necessary to speak with the taller man, baring his throat.

“Undress and kneel next to the bed,” Lord Oni’qui ordered as he shifted out of the doorway to allow Malavai into the room.

“My lord,” Malavai replied, stepping into the room, the door swishing shut behind him. He obeyed swiftly, his uniform folded neatly next to his boots on a chair. He’d almost missed the cold decking beneath his knees. His cock was already hardening against his thigh, being at Lord Oni’qui’s feet again.

“How _would_ you like me to punish you, Quinn?” Lord Oni’qui wondered, circling Malavai.

Malavai couldn’t help noticing that Lord Oni’qui’s faint accent hadn’t slipped away as it always did when they were in private like this. Malavai had always wondered if Lord Oni’qui did the same with Jaesa or Vette. His chest tightened at that small sign of Lord Oni’qui’s trust still being withheld. “Whatever you deem necessary, Master.”

“ _Master_ ,” Lord Oni’qui repeated. “I think you’d forgotten for a time, Quinn. You’d forgotten that _I_ am your master. Not only in here, but outside of this room, this ship. Baras may have saved your career, but I have saved your life many times. Have I not?”

“Yes, Master,” Malavai agreed quietly.

“It’s time you remembered your place, Malavai.” Some of the tension eased in Malavai’s shoulders at the use of his given name. “You won’t be needing this.” Lord Oni’qui lifted one foot and nudged it against Malavai’s cock, straining against his stomach.

For the second time in his life, Malavai felt an invisible hand close around his throat. The difference this time was that there was no fear to soften his cock. If anything, the display of his Master’s formidable power only served to heighten his arousal. Through the haze, he felt precome drip down his cock.

A delighted, dark laugh echoed in the room. “Well,” Lord Oni’qui said, easing the grip on Malavai’s throat just enough for him to gasp in air. “As punishments go, I don’t think this one will be terribly effective.”

“Depends… on the… circumstances, Master,” Malavai gasped out.

Lord Oni’qui laughed again. “Indeed, with those white pants of yours, I’m sure I would have noticed a similar… reaction the last time.”

Malavai opened his mouth to reply but Lord Oni’qui chose that moment to cut off his air again.

“Just think of all the fun we’ve missed out on,” Lord Oni’qui commented, voice dark and deep, as he stepped forward to stare into Malavai’s hazy eyes as he strained for breath. “I knew you enjoyed pain and giving up that vaunted control of yours, but this.” A wicked smile curled his lips as the grip on Malavai’s throat tightened and his vision darkened. “I’m going to have _fun_ with this.” The invisible grip on Malavai’s throat eased just enough to allow for a tiny sip of air and Malavai was gone. Orgasm swept over him, blanking his mind and darkening his eyes as he shook.

When awareness returned, he was kneeling on the floor once more, his back pressed against Lord Oni’qui’s shins. He opened his eyes to see his come spattered across the decking just in front of his knees.

“Look at the mess you’ve made, Malavai,” Lord Oni’qui scolded. “Clean it up.”

Malavai obediently leaned down and drew his tongue along the floor, licking up his own come. 2V-R8 kept the ship nearly sterile in its efforts not to incur Lord Oni’qui’s wrath and end up disassembled, but dirt still snuck in. It grated against Malavai’s tongue and he gagged a little.

“If you vomit, you’ll be cleaning that up, too,” Lord Oni’qui warned.

Humiliation slunk through Malavai at the very thought even as arousal pooled once more in his gut. He really had missed this since his betrayal. He’d hated having to be so in control without the opportunity to give it over to his Lord.

With the last of his come cleaned up, Malavai sat back up, surprised that Lord Oni’qui hadn’t moved when his back butted up against Lord Oni’qui’s shins again. A strong hand tangled in Malavai’s hair, pulling his head back so his eyes met Lord Oni’qui’s burning gaze. “Your punishment isn’t over, Malavai,” he reminded. “One would even say that I haven’t even _begun_ to punish you.”

Malavai shivered in anticipation. “As you will, Master.”

Lord Oni’qui grinned and released his hold on Malavai’s hair. “Yes, _my_ will. Get on the bed, on your back.”

He swiftly obeyed, grateful the bed was only a couple paces away when his vision greyed for a moment. He climbed onto the bed a little less gracefully than he would have liked, but the result was the same: him, stretched out on his Master’s bed for his pleasure.

He watched as Lord Oni’qui shed his trousers, letting them fall to the decking haphazardly. Malavai licked his lips at the sight of Lord Oni’qui’s cock. Lord Oni’qui laughed as he climbed onto the bed. “Not tonight, cockslut,” he admonished, straddling Malavai. “Someday, I’ll have you at my feet for hours, keeping my cock warm, but not tonight. Tonight you just get to watch and not touch and not come.”

Malavai groaned as Lord Oni’qui’s broad, lightsaber-calloused hands trailed over his own chest, pinching at his nipples, scraping at his treasure trail with his nails, until one hand wrapped around his cock, the other reaching down to roll his sac in his palm.

“You know, it’s been almost a month since I’ve fucked you,” Lord Oni’qui commented almost conversationally. He grinned at the whine that escaped Malavai. “I don’t think you’re quite ready to take my cock, again. Your arse was so tight the first time I fucked you; I bet I was the first to do so. Wasn’t I?”

Thanks to Lord Oni’qui’s implants, it was nearly impossible to get a lie over on the man, but since Malavai’s body chemistry and heartbeat were already heightened, it was easy to lie. Such a little untruth would harm no one. “Yes, Master.”

Lord Oni’qui’s breathing quickened and he thrust into his own hand. Precome dripped from the head of his cock onto Malavai’s own cock and he fought to keep still, breath escaping him in soft pants. Even without his Force abilities, Lord Oni’qui was a strongly-built man, broad-shouldered, dusky-skinned, and heavily muscled. Malavai knew some of that was from his childhood; the rest was just the luck of genetics. Either way, Malavai greatly appreciated the view above him: his Master’s powerful body working above him; his Force-glowing orange eye and the pinprick of light from the cybernetic eye both focused on Malavai; his muscles bunching and twisting as he moved; his cock disappearing and reappearing as he fucked his fist. Malavai would never tire of watching.

He was silent as he came, his breath escaping him in a rush as his come striped Malavai’s belly and chest. His eye closed and he breathed deeply, gathering his wits, before reaching out and swiping at a line of come with two fingers. Malavai knew what was coming before Lord Oni’qui even lifted his hand from Malavai’s belly. He opened his mouth and accepted the fingers eagerly; cleaning his Master’s come from the digits, a moan vibrating his throat. Lord Oni’qui’s laugh was low and filthy. “Such an eager little slut for me,” he murmured, eye shining with renewed lust.

“Yes, my lord,” Malavai answered, feeling settled enough to be daring.

Lord Oni’qui laughed again. “You’ll not be leaving this bed any time soon, Malavai.”

“Yes, my lord,” Malavai repeated and smiled.

*

Malavai was in his accustomed place in the cockpit after they received their assignment for Makeb when Pierce strode in on Lord Oni’qui’s heels, Jaesa, Vette, and Broonmark just behind him. The other four paused on the threshold as Lord Oni’qui took the pilot’s seat. Malavai merely raised an eyebrow at them expectantly. Jaesa and Pierce smirked and took their places while Vette and Broonmark just nodded.

“Are you lot done?” Lord Oni’qui inquired without turning around.

“Yes, my lord,” they chorused.

“Very well, on to Makeb.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an alternate, deleted ending for this story, if anyone's interested. Let me know in the comments.


	2. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oni'qui meets his brother again for the first time in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during Tatooine of the Sith Warrior storyline. Cross-posted to [Tri'voy's Stories](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3503294).

Tri’voy stopped his speeder halfway to the Czerka base in the Dune Sea, frowning. There was something out there… He looked around, but all he could see was miles and miles of sand.

“Sir?” Dorne inquired, several meters ahead of him. “Is everything all right, sir?”

“I don’t—.” He was cut off by a roar and the sound of a lightsaber. He leapt from his speeder, his quick reflexes saving him from the Sith’s harsh landing and the lightning crackling in the sand.

“Miss me, brother?” Oni’qui growled, his eye glowing an eerie yellow.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said yes, _brother_ ,” Tri’voy replied as he pulled his assault cannon from his back.

Oni’qui let out a powerful, animalistic roar, Tri’voy’s knees trembled but he held firm, letting loose a stream of bolts at his brother. Oni’qui leapt at him, lightsabers slashing, and Tri’voy knocked him back with a concussive round.

Green light touched them, the healing balm of kolto rushing through them and they both yelled, “No! This is just between us.” Tri’voy barely heard Dorne’s annoyed sigh, preoccupied with fending off Oni’qui’s attacks.

*

Elara growled to herself. “Stubborn arseholes.”

“Elara,” her cousin’s familiar voice greeted her.

“Malavai,” she responded warily, not taking her eyes off her commanding officer fighting the Sith. His _brother_ , apparently. “I see you finally made it off Balmorra.”

“With Lord Oni’qui’s help, yes,” he replied. “You’ll be getting a new commanding officer, soon.”

“Like hell,” she retorted, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “Lieutenant Tri’voy’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

“The same could be said for my Lord.” They winced as Tri’voy was lifted in the air, clutching at invisible hands at his throat. “Are you sure?” A sticky bomb threw Oni’qui backwards, interrupting his concentration enough for Tri’voy to drop to the sand and shoot off several explosive rounds.

“Yes,” Elara finally answered. “They’ll both be a mess by the time this is over, but neither of them will be dying today.”

Malavai scoffed, but fell silent, watching Tri’voy and Oni’qui fight.

She didn’t let on about her own doubts. Watching the pair, she could see how angry Oni’qui was and how he channeled that anger into his abilities. As a former Imperial officer, she’d seen Sith fight on several occasions and Oni’qui had more power than any other Sith she’d seen. On the other hand, Lieutenant Tri’voy was one of the youngest commanding officers in the Republic Special Forces. Even Sergeant Jorgan was impressed by him.

“Why did you defect, Elara?” Malavai asked, finally.

“I couldn’t stand the atrocities the Empire committed, usually at the bidding of a Sith,” she answered quietly. “We were supposed to stand for honor and discipline, but anytime a Sith gave orders otherwise, they were obeyed without question. It was horrific.”

“It isn’t always like that. Perhaps you had superiors who were a little…too willing?” Malavai countered.

“What’s the point in arguing it, Malavai?” she asked tiredly. “You’ll never see my side and I’ll never come back, even if the Empire promised not to prosecute me for defecting.”

“Not even to see your parents? Your siblings?” he wondered.

“I miss them every day,” she replied, fighting back tears. “But I do not regret my decision.”

“They are well, if you’re wondering. Aleksei—.”

“No,” she interrupted. “Don’t tell me. If you tell me, I’ll have to report it.”

He nodded shortly and they went back to watching Tri’voy and Oni’qui fight. Both men were visibly weakened, by now: bloody and winded; staggering on occasion.

“Right,” Elara said firmly and started up her carbonite stream. A low chuckle sounded next to her and Malavai did the same. “That’s quite enough of that,” she muttered and aimed her stream at Tri’voy. “Better to apologize later than deal with the paperwork from a dead CO. Stupidity isn’t a very heroic cause of death.”

Malavai laughed and froze Oni’qui. “I imagine we’ll be seeing each other again, cousin.”

“Sadly, it seems so. Good bye, Malavai.”

“Good bye, Elara. I’ll give your family your best, shall I?”

“Best not,” she denied softly. “It’s better if they forget about me.”

“You know that will never happen,” he answered.

“One can hope.”

*

Malavai kept Lord Oni’qui in a medically-induced coma while he treated his Master’s wounds. He winced as he went over the diagnostics. Without Elara’s timely intervention, the two brothers would have killed each other, whether by their fighting or loss of blood, it was difficult to say. Either way, it was better for everyone that they had intervened in the fight, no matter the consequences.

"So, our favorite Sith has a brother," Vette observed from where she leaned in the MedBay doorway.

"Indeed," Malavai answered absently, focusing on slowly dialing back the medicine keeping Lord Oni'qui under.

"What's he like?" Vette asked right by his shoulder and he twitched, jolting the control in his fingers.

"Vette!" he snapped, glaring at her over his shoulder. "If you can't be quiet and let me work, you need to leave."

He barely had a moment to register her eyes widening in surprise before a strong hand caught him around the throat and dragged him a scant inch away from his Master's furious face.

"If you _ever_ interfere like that again, you'll not live to do it a third time," Lord Oni'qui growled.

"Would you rather... I let you get... yourself... killed?" Malavai gasped.

"Vette, out," Lord Oni'qui commanded, not looking away from Malavai.

"But, I--" she started to protest until Lord Oni'qui leveled an utterly flat look her way. "Yes, my lord."

Lord Oni'qui didn't turn his burning gaze back on Malavai until the MedBay door swished shut behind her. He finally released his hold on Malavai's throat with a short growl of displeasure. Malavai folded to his knees, hands braced on the floor, coughing and gasping for breath. "When it comes to my brother, you do not interfere, do you understand?"

"When it comes to keeping you alive, I have no other choice, my lord," Malavai replied, keeping his eyes on the decking.

With a growl, Lord Oni'qui paced the small space of the MedBay. "I cannot allow such insubordination."

"If I am to be punished for seeing to your well-being, so be it," Malavai answered as he sat back on his heels, valiantly ignoring the arousal rising in his veins at the thought of being under Lord Oni'qui's hand.

Lord Oni'qui turned sharply, eye narrowed as he stared at Malavai. "It's not a punishment if you enjoy it, Quinn," he commented shrewdly.

Malavai was suddenly incredibly glad that his dusky skintone hid his flush. "My lord," he murmured, bowing his head briefly in agreement.

"On the other hand." Lord Oni'qui stepped closer until his bare feet were scant inches away from Malavai's knees. "You do look pretty on your knees."

Breath quickening, Malavai closed his eyes and tilted his head back and to the side, baring his neck for his Master.

" _Very_ pretty," Lord Oni'qui amended, fisting a hand in Malavai's hair. "I'm going to have fun with you."

"As you wish, Master."

*

Elara muttered quietly to herself as she checked the diagnostics readout on Tri'voy. "Wounds, nearly healed; blood pressure, normal; heart rate, normal for him; temperature, a little low. Good."

She tapped in the command to ease off the flow of medicine keeping him unconscious and turned to the bandages covering his wounds. They were stained, but the skin underneath was pale pink. There would hardly be any scars. Aside from the ones that were there to begin with, that is. She glanced up at his face and the scars there.

Curiosity burned through her, with medicine as advanced as it was, what had happened that had left him so scarred? She was just reaching up to trace her fingers over the scars when his eye snapped open and his hand seized her wrist. Training and instinct took over. She dropped the datapad in her free hand, grabbed his wrist with her thumb on the lung pressure point, rubbing harshly, and her fingers on the heart pressure point, pressing in. He gasped, his fingers releasing and she used her grip to twist his arm up and away until the edge of the bed was pressed in his shoulder. He grunted in pain, twisting, and grunting again as his wounds pulled. She released him, backing away until she bumped into the other bed. "Sorry, sir," she said quickly.

Tri'voy just blinked at her with a faint smile for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "At ease, sergeant," he rasped before coughing to clear this throat. "I think we both surprised each other."

"Yes, sir," she agreed, bending to pick up her datapad.

"What's the prognosis?" he asked.

"You're doing well," she answered, not looking up from the datapad as she added in a mutter, "For a man who nearly fought a Sith to death."

He sighed. "If I hadn't fought him, he _would_ have killed me." His left hand twitched and Elara quickly scanned the diagnostic for signs of nerve damage. Finding none, she shook it off.

"Have you ever thought about running away?" she wondered.

"Wouldn't work," he replied, shaking his head. "He's always been able to track me, ever since we were kids. Drove me _nuts_ when we would play hide-and-seek together. I could never hide from him."

"I imagine you weren't so bad at finding him, either," she commented, returning to her work of checking his wounds, tutting quietly when she found a couple on his side that had reopened when he twisted earlier.

A soft laugh escaped him. "I was okay at it," he answered. "Can we get back to work tracking down Czerka's base?"

"Not just yet," she answered, fixing him with a firm look. "I've just gotten you pieced back together. I want you to rest until morning. _No_ arguments. Sir."

That queer little smile twitched his lips again as he watched her. "All right. Doctor's orders."

"Not a doctor," she reminded him as she turned to send the used bandages down the shaft to the incinerator.

"Medic's orders, then."

She huffed a soft laugh and shook her head. She glanced over her shoulder to see him smiling widely at her. "Sleep, Lieutenant. Then we'll talk about getting back to work."

"Yes, ma'am."

*

Aric poked his head into the MedBay, ready to ask how the lieutenant was doing, until he caught sight of the flush lingering on Elara's neck. He sniffed discretely, scowling at the miasma of pheromones lingering in the air, and glanced at the bed where Tri'voy lay. A _stupidly_ besotted look was on his face as he watched Dorne work and Aric turned right around, nearly running into Forex. "They're fine," he growled and marched right back to the armory, ignoring Forex's inquiries.

End


	3. Punishment - Deleted Scene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deleted scene from the end of Punishment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took this out and rewrote the ending because this really doesn't fit with Oni'qui's personality, but it's important so I didn't want to just get rid of it. Zevmor requested the scene, so here it is. :)

“I don’t think you’re quite ready to take my cock, again. Your arse was so tight the first time I fucked you, I thought I wouldn’t get my cock back.”

Malavai stared at Lord Oni’qui incredulously for a moment before they both broke into laughter.

Lord Oni’qui’s hands fell to Malavai’s chest, thumbing at his nipples gently. “If it had been anyone else, they’d be dead on that ship. You know I don’t do romance, Malavai, and love comes from trust, which is…”

“Difficult,” Malavai supplied quietly.

“Yes,” Lord Oni’qui agreed. “I trusted you, Malavai, more than anyone else on this ship. Anyone else and they would have been a smear on that door, not back in my bed.”

“I understand, Master,” Malavai assured him. “I shall endeavor to earn back your trust.”

“You earned that back when you stood by my side against Baras,” Lord Oni’qui replied.

“Since then?” Malavai inquired, frowning. “What about Pierce?”

“The hurt is taking longer to be assuaged than my damaged trust,” Lord Oni’qui answered with a sigh, shifting off Malavai to sit on the side of the bed. “You know my past, you know about my parents and my brother.”

“I am sorry, Master,” Malavai offered, sitting up and pressing up against Lord Oni’qui’s back.

Lord Oni’qui turned and kissed Malavai deeply, if a bit harshly, his teeth biting at Malavai’s lips and tongue. “Do it again and you won’t survive.”

“Understood,” Malavai affirmed. There was no other answer; anything else would have been useless platitudes to the man before him.


	4. Brother's Savior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ziost holds more than just Vitiate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, some things to keep in mind when you're reading this compared to Oni'qui's previous interactions with Tri'voy. They've basically been working together all through Shadow of Revan: they both ended up on Manaan trying to find Arkous and Darok, they were both on Rishi, both on Yavin 4. (In place of Marr showing up to take Iven into custody, it was Oni'qui). I probably won't rewrite all of SoR to reflect this, just bear in mind that they've been working together for the first time in quite a while and things have changed, especially for Oni'qui.

Oni'qui glanced over his shoulder at the dead Weequay in Republic uniform that had been possessed by Vitiate. "I take it the Republic knows what's going on?" he asked, turning back to Lana.

"Special forces do, at the very least," Lana replied. "He was a member of Havoc Squad."

"Tri'voy's here?" Oni'qui said, surprised.

"I haven't seen him, myself, but I would assume so," Lana said as a male cyborg in an Intelligence uniform came up behind her.

"Someone wanted the best in the Republic here very badly," the cyborg observed. "Pardon the interruption. I sent a probe droid to look into that crashed shuttle, Minister Beniko. It's empty."

"This is Agent Rane Kovach. He's been something of a rising star in Sith Intelligence here on Ziost," Lana explained.

"Do you know what Havoc Squad has been up to here?" Oni'qui asked, crossing his arms and pacing.

"You can thank our friend Theron Shan for that," Lana answered wryly.

"Havoc Squad arrived when Vitiate started making moves," Agent Kovach said. "It's not clear yet how Agent Shan knew to send them but we do know he's responsible."

"As you've witnessed, Vitiate's taking hold of an increasing number of soldiers and Sith," Lana added. "His goal continues to be the accumulation of power." She glanced over her shoulder at Kovach. "Agent?"

"The dark side is strong on Ziost, as you can no doubt feel," Kovach took over. "Using the outpost's resources, our former Emperor can massacre the defenseless to fuel him. The more powerful he becomes, the more people he can control. He will keep on killing until there's nothing left."

Lana's earpiece buzzed and she lifted a hand to her ear to listen more closely. "Yes, I'm on my way," she responded. "I'm needed everywhere all at once. Apparently, there's a Republic war droid wreaking havoc in New Adasta. Agent Kovach has a plan to stem the bloodshed." Just as she started to turn, she stopped, shook her head, and rubbed her forehead. "May the Force ever serve you," she added before leaving.

*

While Kovach worked to shut Vitiate out of the armory, Oni'qui paced. He paused mid-step, feeling Vitiate's approach and someone else. They were--. "No," Oni'qui whispered.

"My lord?" Malavai inquired quietly.

"Agent, company," Oni'qui warned as Tri'voy strode in, cloaked in red mist, his normally-green eye clouded white.

"Almost there," Kovach said seconds before a force field appeared between them and Tri'voy.

Oni'qui growled furiously as he approached the force field. "Let him go, Vitiate."

"You know this man, Lord Wrath?" Kovach asked, stepping up beside him.

"Yes," Vitiate's voice overlaid Tri'voy's. "Dear old brother. I was rather surprised to learn just how many scars he has because of you. Especially..." Vitiate's laugh echoed from Tri'voy's mouth as he reached up and removed the patch from Tri'voy's left eye, dropping it to the floor and crushing it under his boot. "I rather like this one. A boring old soldier, but he has spirit. Wouldn't you know…" Vitiate trailed off and lifted a crate on his side of the force field. "The major has some secrets of his own."

"No," Oni'qui protested. "You're using the Force through him."

"How can you be sure?" Vitiate taunted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Fight him, Triv," Oni'qui urged.

"Run, Wrath," Vitiate replied. "Turn your back on him just like you always have. Take this chance, a chance...I'm…" his voice became strained. "Get out of me, you filthy bastard," Tri'voy demanded. With a loud groan, the red mist dispersed, Tri'voy's eye turned green again, and he collapsed to the decking.

"Brother," Oni'qui said quietly, concerned, going to one knee by the force field.

"Go," Tri'voy said, panting. "Get the bastard, Qui."

Oni'qui bowed his head for a moment, relief flooding through him. He looked up, meeting Tri'voy's eye for a moment before nodding and standing to face Agent Kovach. "What's the plan?"

*

Oni'qui made it as far as the planter outside the armory before he lost his breakfast in the dying plants. Malavai stayed by his side as he heaved. Once his stomach was empty, he straightened, swallowing, and nearly gagged on the taste in his mouth.

"Oni'qui," Malavai said softly and Oni'qui turned to see him holding out a canteen of water.

"Thank you," Oni'qui said as he took the canteen and rinsed out his mouth.

"You haven't seen his eye since it happened, have you?" Malavai asked.

"No." Oni'qui handed back the canteen. "We have work to do."

*

"I should never have sent Havoc Squad here, I made a bad situation worse, and now… Now I have a priority holocall," Theron said with a sigh. "Great."

Oni'qui stood quietly off to the side while Saresh dressed Theron down.

Once the call was terminated, Oni'qui stepped up to Theron's side and rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Theron. Tri'voy agreed to help, he agreed to bring his team here. You were both just trying to help. Despite our differences, I know my brother. If he didn't think it was worth the risk to come here, he wouldn't have come and he would have tried his damnedest to keep you away, as well."

Theron blinked up at him. "I think that's the most I've ever heard you say at once," he said quietly then shook his head. "Thanks, I guess. Let's get going. We've got work to do."

*

"Well, that was… awkward," Theron said in Oni'qui's ear as he fought his way through The People's Tower. "Not as awkward as my last conversation with her, believe it or not. Look, I know you and your brother have issues, but he's...he's here because of me, I feel responsible for what happens to him and his team. If you can find some way to spare them, just... don't… do the other thing."

Oni'qui rolled his eyes as he finished off the last turret. He hadn't planned on killing anyone under Tri'voy's command. Theron didn't need to know that, though.

He wasn't terribly surprised to find Dorne and Jorgan between him and the turbolift.

"You think I don't know what you're doing?" Vitiate asked through Dorne.

"Of course I know, my righteous Wrath," Jorgan continued, drawing his assault cannon. "I know everything."

"And I will enjoy watching you fail," Dorne finished, pulling her blaster pistol.

Even without Vitiate's influence, they were adept fighters. Stood to reason, considering they were in Havoc Squad and they'd watched him fight Tri'voy several times over the years. Even so, they were no match for the Empire's Wrath. He hadn't gotten where he was by bowing and scraping. He'd won his position with his own sweat and blood and scars. At last, Jorgan lay on the floor, while Dorne knelt next to him.

Electricity crackled nearby and Oni'qui glanced over at a floor junction sparking a couple meters away. "Go ahead," Dorne growled, drawing his attention. "Kill them. Kill the soldiers. It's what we do to traitors, after all."

"If you let them live," Jorgan spoke up. "They'll just keep murdering in my name. Don't hesitate."

"Kill them. I won't mind," Dorne said. She laughed lowly. "And you'll finally be rid of your gnat of a brother."

Oni'qui regarded them for a second longer before darting over to the control panel for the junction.

"What are you doing?" Dorne demanded. "This is not the act of a proper Sith Lord…"

He sensed Dorne racing towards him and turned, knocking her back with the Force. She crawled along the decking, trying to get to him. The junction sparked again and he reached back and slammed his hand on the button to overload it, sending electricity arcing through Dorne and Jorgan. He came closer once they had collapsed, to make sure they were unconscious before heading for the turbolift.

*

"They've got to be closing in," Oni'qui observed, moving his gaze from the electricity arcing overhead to the turbolift.

"Then come on," Theron said, heading for open space. "We've got to be shielded. I already fried half my implants, I don't really want to lose the other half. And I'm pretty sure you don't want to lose yours, either."

"Not really, no," Oni'qui agreed, following. He watched as Theron knelt and set up the shield.

Once the shield was up, Theron stood and faced Oni'qui. "Listen, I didn't know Lana would call you in. I'm sorry you had to see him like that."

Oni'qui nodded. "I accept your apology. But I think he'll need it more than me, once this is all over."

Theron huffed a humorless laugh. "If he'll even come near me after this."

"You might be surprised," Oni'qui said wryly.

The turbolift doors opening interrupted any response Theron might have had. "Okay, here comes the puppet brigade. Fingers crossed…"

They watched as the possessed soldiers and Sith raced towards them. The one in the lead was a couple meters away from the shield when Theron activated the electrostatic weapon. They watched as the puppets fell.

When Theron thought it was safe, he deactivated the shield and headed for the closest one. "This one was closest," he said kneeling next to her. "Took the biggest hit. Still alive. We did it."

"Theron," Oni'qui warned. "I can feel them, Vitiate and Tri'voy."

"I'm intrigued," Tri'voy said. They turned to see him levitating the unconscious puppets then casually tossing all but one to the side. "All this effort, all this angst. Watching you believe you have a chance. It's amused me. Now it's just pathetic." The last puppet dropped to his knees. Tri'voy drew his blaster pistol and shot the puppet in the head. "Now, how do you wish to die? In combat or on your knees?"

The fight was brutal, harder than any other time Oni'qui had fought Tri'voy. He didn't know if Tri'voy had been holding back on him before, or if Vitiate was lending a little something extra, but it took every trick Oni'qui knew to bring Tri'voy to his knees. Theron and Lana approached as he toppled over onto this side, his eye clearing.

"I saw it," Tri'voy said quietly, his voice tortured. "I saw everything. Every life he took, I took."

Theron dropped to one knee next to Tri'voy while Oni'qui stayed back with Lana, uncertain for the first time in a long time. "He took those lives, Triv," Theron replied. "You would never have done this."

"Not just here," Tri'voy protested. "Everyone, everyone I've ever killed in the name of the Republic."

"We'll take you to Tython," Theron assured him. "The Jedi will help you restore your mind, make you whole again."

"And then he'll be no good to us," Lana snapped. "We need to understand the connection to Vitiate established with him so we can stop it or exploit it."

"Yeah, and let me guess," Theron argued. "The process is 'invasive.' Hasn't he been through enough?"

"We've bought ourselves some time--that's all," Lana replied, looking between Theron and Oni'qui. "We can't risk the fate of the galaxy just to assuage your guilt."

"Mind your place, Lana," Oni'qui snapped, walking over to kneel next to Tri'voy. "It's your choice, broth--Tri'voy."

Tri'voy was silent as Theron stood to face Lana. "You want to take his brain apart and you don't even know if you're going to find anything!"

"We have to try!" Lana protested.

Twisting to look at them, Oni'qui growled, "Enough!" Putting the Force behind his words.

"He's never leaving," Tri'voy murmured into the silence.

Oni'qui turned back to Tri'voy. "Your choice, Triv," Oni'qui repeated.

"I want to go to Tython," Tri'voy finally decided.

Lana made a disgusted noise but didn't naysay his choice. Oni'qui stood and offered a hand to Tri'voy to help him up.

"Come on," Theron said, slipping under Tri'voy's arm to brace him. "I'll get you and your team shipped out of here as soon as I can."

Oni'qui watched them walk away for a long moment before turning to Lana. "I suppose we can be grateful we made some manner of progress," she said testily.

"He's had enough choices taken away from him because of Vitiate," Oni'qui said, voice low and hard. "I will not make decisions for him about his own health."

Sighing, Lana finally bowed. "As you say, Lord Wrath," she murmured before walking away. A few feet away, she stopped and turned back. "You know, Vitiate gave up on controlling me some time ago. Perhaps he's not as powerful as we were led to believe. Still, he is more than formidable. We've only stopped him temporarily, and war still rages. We have much to do."

*

"I'm curious," Vitiate's voice echoed in the lobby. "Do you really believe you've accomplished anything here? What do you think you've stopped?"

"You would feed on every last life in the galaxy to become immortal," Oni'qui replied, glancing around. "I won't let that happen."

"Has my Wrath finally gone soft?" Vitiate taunted. "Have I finally found the way to break you?"

"I have never been soft," Oni'qui snarled. "Was I soft when I slid my lightsaber into Baras's belly? Was I soft when Overseer Tremel fell to my warblade?"

"But it's never been for the Empire, has it?" Vitiate observed. "My Wrath's best kept secret. He holds no loyalty to the Empire, only to himself."

"Isn't that the Sith way?" Oni'qui asked, leaning back against the holoterminal and crossing his arms. "Always looking out for ourselves and damn everyone else? Isn't that what you're doing?"

Vitiate was silent for a long moment before his presence slipped away. Oni'qui smirked and slipped a glance at Malavai who was smirking right back. He pushed away from the holoterminal and walked away, Malavai right behind him.

*

Two weeks after Ziost became a wasteland, Oni'qui received an encrypted transmission.

> To: Oni'qui
> 
> From: Theron Shan
> 
> Havoc Squad is on its way to recovery. Mostly. Ziost changed them. Jorgan's even more taciturn than ever, hard to believe considering he wasn't the most forthcoming even before Vitiate made him a puppet. Tri'voy and Elara are retiring, Tri'voy's had enough and Elara wants to raise a family without worrying about whether or not she and Tri'voy will be coming home to their kids. Jorgan's taking over command. Yuun and Forex are sticking around. Vik… well, you know what happened.
> 
> Tri'voy asked me to pass along this holofrequency. He says the holocomm it belongs to is encrypted at the highest level, whatever that means. Call him, some time.
> 
> You were right. I was surprised.
> 
> May the Force be with you,
> 
> Theron Shan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I killed off Tanno Vik. He's an asshole, anyway. xD If you'd like to see caps of Tri'voy and Oni'qui's playthroughs of Ziost, you can find them on my swtor blog: [House Ahngairn](http://houseahngairn.tumblr.com).


End file.
